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Huckabee Serious About 2016

Mike Huckabee joined Jeb Bush as the first two possible GOP contenders for the 2016 presidential nomination to get serious. Jeb Bush last week resigned from all the businesses he had to connection to, including one business that benefited greatly from the passage of Obamacare and it will no doubt be brought up if Jeb Bush does make it official. Former Arkansas Governor and 2008 presidential contender, Mike Huckabee followed Jeb Bush and last night announced on his FoxNews program that he was ending his show and partnership with FoxNews and would start testing the water for a possible 2016 presidential bid.

Mike Huckabee would no doubt be a favorite candidate for the far-right fraction of the Republican Party because of his stance of social issues that will likely hurt him in the general should be win the GOP nomination.

More VIA CNN:

Huckabee, who served as the Arkansas governor for nearly 11 years, benefits by having strong name recognition, thanks in part to his 2008 campaign but largely because of his successful cable news show that’s kept him a mainstay in the conservative political dialogue for more than six years.

Popular among social conservatives, the former Baptist pastor’s prospects will likely have the biggest impact on Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania. Both men are seriously considering 2016 campaigns and have strong appeal among socially conservative voters. Santorum ultimately won the Iowa caucuses in 2012 in a delayed vote count, though Mitt Romney carried the early momentum since he was initially declared the winner.

Huckabee’s announcements could speed up the timelines for Cruz and Santorum, given that they’ll be competing in the same donor pool — a race, in many respects, that has already begun. It could also bring renewed attention in the race to social issues.